1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to multi-track recording/reproducing apparatus and method and a multi-track recording/reproducing program which are capable of recording digital audio data on an external storage device, such as a hard disk device, by using multiple tracks, and reproducing the same.
2. Prior Art
Conventionally, there is known a digital mixer which converts input audio data in the form of an analog signal to digital data, or inputs digital audio data directly, then mixes the digital data, and outputs the mixed data. In this digital mixer, each input terminal is fixedly connected to a corresponding one of mixer channels. Audio data in a plurality of predetermined mixer channels are mixed according to the user's designation and then delivered to a single output bus. Each of output buses is fixedly connected to a corresponding one of output terminals, from which the mixed output is taken out.
Further, a digital recorder is conventionally known, which records digital audio data on an external storage device, such as a hard disk device, and reproduces the same. This digital recorder includes a multi-track type which is capable of assigning a plurality of series of audio data to a plurality of tracks, respectively, and then recording the audio data in the respective tracks.
Recently, there is also known a combination type which is a combination of the above-mentioned digital mixer and digital recorder.
This combination type includes a type which is capable of selecting either a compression mode or a non-compression mode in advance. For example, in the compression mode, it is possible to perform 8-track recording and 16-track reproduction, whereas in the non-compression mode, it is possible to perform 8-track recording and 8-track reproduction. The combination type includes another type which is capable of selecting either a 16-bit mode or a 24-bit mode in advance. For example, in the 16-bit mode, it is possible to perform 8-track recording and 16-track reproduction, whereas in the 24-bit mode, it is possible to perform 8-track recording and 8-track reproduction.
In the conventional digital mixer, since each input terminal is fixedly connected to a corresponding one of the mixer channels, when the user wants to change the input source, it is required to physically or mechanically change connections between the terminals and the mixer channels. However, if the degree of freedom is increased in changing connections between the terminals and the mixer channels, the relationship between the terminals and the mixer channels may become too complicated for the user to grasp. Further, since each output terminal is fixedly connected to a corresponding one of the mixing buses, when the user wants to change the output source, an output terminal connected to a desired output source has to be selected as one for connection.
Further, in the conventional apparatus of the combination type, input of a signal reproduced by the recorder to the mixer is equivalent to input of a signal from an external device (such as an electric guitar or a synthesizer) to the mixer, and output of data from the mixer to the recorder for recording is equivalent to output of data from the mixer to an external device (such as an effector or an amplifier). Therefore, the conventional apparatus of the combination type suffers from the same inconvenience as the above described convenience with the conventional digital mixer, and hence input to and output from the mixer cannot be changed flexibly.
On the other hand, it can be also considered that the apparatus can permit freely setting the connections between the input terminals and the mixer channels and between the output terminals and the mixing buses, e.g. freely assigning mixer channels to input terminals and mixing buses to output terminals. This, however, takes much time in carrying out the settings, and degrades the usability of the apparatus.
Further, since the number of recording tracks is fixed in each mode, it is impossible to flexibly meet users' demand for an increase in the number of the recording tracks at the cost of a decrease in the number of reproducing tracks. Especially in a live recording, since there is no need to use any tracks for simultaneous recording and reproduction, it is desired that as many tracks as possible are used for recording.